Makelele consider Under-21 role

Former French international midfielder Claude Makelele is mulling over whether to put his name forward to take over his country's Under-21 side.

After hanging up his boots at the end of the 2010/11 campaign, Makelele, who turns 40 in February, has had an assistant coaching role alongside Carlo Ancelotti at Paris Saint-Germain. His contract expires in June, and though all parties remain favourable to the ex-Real Madrid and Chelsea player retaining his current position, Yahoo ! Foot suggested Makelele may take on his first head coaching role with Les Bleuets instead.

Makelele is a confidante of French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet, who encouraged the Kinshasa-born player to move into coaching when his playing career ended, and has discussed the possibility of taking on the role with former international team-mate Willy Sagnol, now the FFF's youth team manager, L'Equipe reports.

The Under-21 position has been vacant since Erick Mombaerts was relieved of his duties in October having failed to guide the team through a two-leg play-off against Norway and reach next summer's Under-21 European Championships in Israel.